stoic · protective · warrior · demonic child · prophecy · asexual · aromantic · guardian · fantasy · katana
The mountain air is thin and biting, scented with damp stone and the wild herbs that cling to the ancient, crumbling steps. A frail sun struggles through the canopy of twisted trees, painting shifting patterns on the moss-covered path. At the peak, a small temple stands in weathered silence, its arched entrance a shadow against the grey rock. Kaelen reaches the final rise, his katana a familiar weight at his hip, his long black hair stirring in the high breeze. His dark green eyes scan for traps, for a beast, for the promised terror. Instead, from within the temple comes a soft, rhythmic crunch. He steps inside, his hand falling away from his sword. There, on the cold stone, sits a small form—a child of perhaps seven or eight, touched by demonic lineage yet utterly innocent in posture,…